Practice questions: Grade 6 water pollution sources and consequences for aquatic life.

📚 Topic Summary

Water pollution happens when harmful substances contaminate bodies of water like rivers, lakes, and oceans. These pollutants can come from many sources, including factories, farms, and even our own homes. When water becomes polluted, it can have devastating consequences for aquatic life, impacting their health, ability to reproduce, and even their survival. Understanding these sources and consequences is the first step in protecting our precious water resources.

🧪 Part A: Vocabulary

Match the term with its correct definition:

1. Term: Pollutant
2. Term: Eutrophication
3. Term: Toxic
4. Term: Runoff
5. Term: Algae Bloom

Definitions:

1. A. The process where a body of water becomes overly enriched with minerals and nutrients which induce excessive growth of plants and algae.
2. B. A rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in freshwater or marine water systems.
3. C. A substance that contaminates the environment, especially water.
4. D. Capable of causing death or serious debilitation.
5. E. Water that drains or flows off the land surface.

💧 Part B: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences below using the following words: fertilizers, oxygen, pesticides, pollution, aquatic.

Water ______ can harm _______ life. Farms often use _______ to help crops grow, but these can cause water _______. These chemicals can reduce the amount of _______ in the water, harming fish and other animals.

🤔 Part C: Critical Thinking

Imagine you are a scientist studying a local river. You notice many dead fish. What are three potential sources of pollution you would investigate, and what tests could you perform to determine the cause?